How do you follow ac milan?

Originally Posted by Rick

When I was growing up in the 70s the only European club matches we got here in the U.S. were England's FA Cup final once a year on tape delay on the old Wide World of Sports program, so I knew nothing of Milan. We didn't even get the World Cup except for the final. Sometimes they showed games from the old North American Soccer League.

But in 1985 our family got one of those old backyard satellite dishes. At the time everything (HBO, Showtime, porn channels -- everything) was free and in the clear. I began picking up feeds of games from Italy, England and Holland that were beamed to the U.S. to be shown in bars. That's when I became attracted to Milan.

That reminds me, I also watched many English FA's Cup games (live!) way before I got to see Milan's game on TV. The first teams I watched were actually Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur (with Lineker and Gascoigne, still love them very much), Sheffield Wednesday (what a funny name, back then I thought). Still remember 1991 FA Cup final. An extremely exciting game in which I supported Hotspur. Lineker was very unlucky with disallowed goal and saved penalty, just couldn't score. Gascoigne went off with injury. Just when Hotspur seemed already given up, their luck all changed and eventually came back from behind and won with an own goal. Absolutely one of the most memorable football games. Hopefully I could somehow find the link to that video. (Thanks, Rick, for helping me remember. )

I guess I could've or should've become a Hotspur fan? I am not sure why I chose to love Milan; or I guess, when it comes to love, you don't get to choose - you are stuck, happily of course.

I watch on ESPN & Setanta Ireland get almost guaranteed 2 out of every 3 games and the other's I just stream or should I say find a stream.

Originally Posted by Jay Crisp

I watch on ESPN & Setanta Ireland get almost guaranteed 2 out of every 3 games and the other's I just stream or should I say find a stream.

Ditto. Up till about 4 years ago I'd go to a pub that showed all the matches, with loads of Milanista's and other fans. The night vs bue in cl 2003 was magical, with loads of Italian Milanista's.

Good to see other milan supporters from ireland.

I've got a season card so I try to go to 10+ games a season. If I'm not at the san siro then ESPN, Setanta or stream.

Originally Posted by Xudong

That reminds me, I also watched many English FA's Cup games (live!) way before I got to see Milan's game on TV. The first teams I watched were actually Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur (with Lineker and Gascoigne, still love them very much), Sheffield Wednesday (what a funny name, back then I thought). Still remember 1991 FA Cup final. An extremely exciting game in which I supported Hotspur. Lineker was very unlucky with disallowed goal and saved penalty, just couldn't score. Gascoigne went off with injury. Just when Hotspur seemed already given up, their luck all changed and eventually came back from behind and won with an own goal. Absolutely one of the most memorable football games. Hopefully I could somehow find the link to that video. (Thanks, Rick, for helping me remember. )

I guess I could've or should've become a Hotspur fan? I am not sure why I chose to love Milan; or I guess, when it comes to love, you don't get to choose - you are stuck, happily of course.

The first one I remember seeing when I was just a kid was the 1972 final between Arsenal and Leeds. For whatever reason I cheered for Arsenal, but they ended up losing. I remember liking Frank McLintock, their captain, and a striker named Charlie George. But I remember being amazed in those days to see this big sporting event from an exotic place across the Atlantic called England -- the land of King Arthur and Robin Hood -- and maybe 100,000 people going crazy at Wembley. Until then, aside from some vague memories of the 1970 World Cup final (Pele!), the only games I had seen were the local college in our town, which had recently won two national championships among the small colleges. I suppose had we had more access to the games from England in those days I would have remained an Arsenal fan as I was on that day, but it was impossible to even get information about European games in those days, much less see them on television.

It is strange how you end up being drawn to a club as we were to Milan. For me, just seeing the way Milan played in those days of Van Basten, etc., hooked me immediately. There was just such a special beauty to it all. So I watched them whenever I could (which still wasn't often) and I knew this club was the right fit for me.

I remember thinking the same thing as you about Sheffield Wednesday. I always assumed they must have once played on Wednesdays and apparently that was the case. But then England has so many clubs with funny sounding names when you think about it.

Good to share some memories with you.

Originally Posted by Rick

The first one I remember seeing when I was just a kid was the 1972 final between Arsenal and Leeds. For whatever reason I cheered for Arsenal, but they ended up losing. I remember liking Frank McLintock, their captain, and a striker named Charlie George. But I remember being amazed in those days to see this big sporting event from an exotic place across the Atlantic called England -- the land of King Arthur and Robin Hood -- and maybe 100,000 people going crazy at Wembley. Until then, aside from some vague memories of the 1970 World Cup final (Pele!), the only games I had seen were the local college in our town, which had recently won two national championships among the small colleges. I suppose had we had more access to the games from England in those days I would have remained an Arsenal fan as I was on that day, but it was impossible to even get information about European games in those days, much less see them on television.

It is strange how you end up being drawn to a club as we were to Milan. For me, just seeing the way Milan played in those days of Van Basten, etc., hooked me immediately. There was just such a special beauty to it all. So I watched them whenever I could (which still wasn't often) and I knew this club was the right fit for me.

I remember thinking the same thing as you about Sheffield Wednesday. I always assumed they must have once played on Wednesdays and apparently that was the case. But then England has so many clubs with funny sounding names when you think about it.

Good to share some memories with you.

I think it must be the sexiness and elegance of football that Milan played. When you had players like MVB, Gullit, Maldini, and kept winning trophies, it was hard not to be loved, especially to those "undecided" fans.

I guess I was a gloryhunter to start with. I have always felt so relieved I "decided" not to like that loser team Inter Merda, even though in my first Serie A season I watched, they swept all the teams away including Milan.

P.S. You are older than I.

FSC and ESPN3.com. Every game day my flag flies outside my home and I stand in front of my TV cheering with friends.

Originally Posted by Xudong

I think it must be the sexiness and elegance of football that Milan played. When you had players like MVB, Gullit, Maldini, and kept winning trophies, it was hard not to be loved, especially to those "undecided" fans.

I guess I was a gloryhunter to start with. I have always felt so relieved I "decided" not to like that loser team Inter Merda, even though in my first Serie A season I watched, they swept all the teams away including Milan.

P.S. You are older than I.

I may not see 40 again, but inside I turn 15 every year.

But yes, when Milan has been at its best, there has always been a certain elegance about the way they play. It can become addictive.

Am I the only one here hooked with Milan because of Gianni Rivera?

I am feeling like surrunded with kids................: diablo:

Yes, most probably I'm the oldest here

but at least the is still functioning.................with the help of some meds.......

LOL Charlie

Originally Posted by Maltese Charlie

Am I the only one here hooked with Milan because of Gianni Rivera?

I am feeling like surrunded with kids................: diablo:

Yes, most probably I'm the oldest here

but at least the is still functioning.................with the help of some meds.......

Haha. Charlie, I probably would have been hooked by Gianni Rivera had I ever seen Milan play in those days. But unfortunately they didn't make it onto American television in the 60s and 70s.

Originally Posted by Maltese Charlie

Am I the only one here hooked with Milan because of Gianni Rivera?

I am feeling like surrunded with kids................: diablo:

Yes, most probably I'm the oldest here

but at least the is still functioning.................with the help of some meds.......

Is that you Silvio?

Originally Posted by Tony75

Is that you Silvio?

SSSHHHHHHH.....................


Please don't make it public.

Originally Posted by Rick

Haha. Charlie, I probably would have been hooked by Gianni Rivera had I ever seen Milan play in those days. But unfortunately they didn't make it onto American television in the 60s and 70s.

I don't remember when exactly I started supporting Milan, but it started in my early years of primary school and my favourate player was Rivera.

The Italian TV was easily caught. (we are only 60 miles away from Sicily) During the Italian league only the goals and sintesis of the matches were shown on RaiTV so we had to follow the games on the Italian Radio. There was a programme named "Tutto il calcio minuto per minuto" which was followed by most of the Italian supporters.

Here in Malta in those days all the population were supporting either Italy or England.

Even those who didn't understood the game of football, a game between these 2 countries/clubs were not going to miss it. It was a very HOT Issue.

At the age of 10 I still remember my Auntie arguing in loud voice with me during the 1970 world cup because I was supporting Italy. She told me: "Those bastards throwed so many bombs on us, How can you support them?"

This rivality now is only in football, but for the past generations it was also a political issue.

Although today the standard of living in general is much more better, sometimes I miss those days. (Nostalgy)

Originally Posted by Maltese Charlie

At the age of 10 I still remember my Auntie arguing in loud voice with me during the 1970 world cup because I was supporting Italy. She told me: "Those bastards throwed so many bombs on us, How can you support them?"

Haha. I love that!

But it's truly amazing how much of a part politics played in the game through the years, even in the rivalry between clubs. You had working class clubs, clubs supported by the more wealthy classes, etc. Now because the sport itself has become such big business with players making so much money, I think that is mostly lost and there is a lot of overlap in fan base. Maybe that's a good thing, but it would have been interesting to me to have grown up in a place such as Milan or Buenos Aires or Madrid in the old days to really experience the rivalry at a social level.